Interview with Art310 artist Tricia Strickfaden

September 15, 2015

Tricia Strickfaden is one of the artists that will be featured at the ART310 event! (Image above is "Aqua and Lichen II” 30” x 40”, mixed media on canvas by Tricia Strikfaden for auction at ART310 on Sept. 25th.)

Tricia Strickfaden took a side step from her Interior Design career, and began painting again after the birth of her daughter in 1999. Wanting to try something new in her artistic endeavors, she took oil painting classes at a local college to learn the oil painting medium. She began initially as an abstract painter, but in later years her work shifted into landscapes and seascapes inspired by her love of coastal living. These works varied from the more literal to abstracted compositions. Retailers such as Williams-Sonoma Home, Pottery Barn, and Artfully Walls sell fine art reproductions of her original landscapes online and in catalog.

Recently in Spring 2015, she felt the need to visit her abstract roots again, and began an exciting new series of abstract paintings. She incorporated her favorite palettes of her landscape works, and interpreted them into organically shaped forms. This Inspired Organics series uses recycled house paint, ink, translucent pigments and pastel to create a watery, dripped and splattered piece, edited usually with white opaque paint into a composition with movement and vibrancy. This series has had great response thus far, and is now represented by 5 different galleries across the country including Atlanta, Boston, Albany, NY, New Canaan, CT and Los Angeles.

> What inspired you to work with LA25 and the ART310 event?

Strickfaden contacted John Capellaro before the first Art90266 auction in 2011. She had heard about this local art auction benefitting Arts Education in the South Bay, and wanted to be a part of it. She felt that her donation would contribute to the event, and that this was a very important cause for our local South Bay students and community.

> What has been your favorite moment working with the ART 310 event so far? What are you looking forward to?

Strickfaden feels that this is an exciting event for our local art community, and has watched it grow exceedingly larger each year. She has enjoyed meeting and working with other local artists who also feel passionate about Arts Education. Knowing that her donation will help put a smile on a child’s face, and expose them to the arts is the greatest gift.

> How do you think this music program will affect South Bay children? How do you think it will help them in 10 years?

Exposing children to the arts at a young age, whether visual or performing arts benefits them throughout their lives. It helps the child think openly and creatively, and builds confidence. Because there is not just one right way to make art, every child can feel pride in his or her original artistic creations. It helps the child learn to observe, describe, analyze, and interpret. It also assists in problem solving skills, and expressing their feelings, either with or without words, musically or visually. The child learns to collaborate with other children or adults, and it can introduce them to other cultures from around the world. All of these things are lifelong gifts, and can be applied in their endeavors in later years, no matter what they choose for their career.

Interview with Art310 artist Al Satterwhite

Al Satterwhite is one of the artists who will be featured at the ART310 event! (Image above is “Sidewalk Surfers”, 24 x 36” photograph by Al Satterwhite for auction at ART310 on Sept. 25th).

Known for his keen sense of design, composition and saturated color, Photographer and Filmmaker Al Satterwhite’s images can be seen today at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Houston Fine Art Museum, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art among others. His work has also run in international magazines such as Life, Look, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, Playboy, and People Magazine to name a few. International companies such as Coca-Cola, American Express, Porsche and Sony have also hired Al to capture the best of their brand in photographic form. He lives in the South Bay with his wife and two Zen masters, both of them cats.

> What inspired you to work with LA25 and the ART310 event?

It is my privilege to call John Capellaro a great friend. We share the same passion for inspiring artists of every age to explore and express their creative talents. I was honored that he introduced me, and allowed me to introduce the great photographers I’ve known over the years to this generous organization that is improving all of our lives through their support in the creative arts.

> What has been your favorite moment working with the ART 310 event so far? What are you looking forward to?

Seeing the look on the faces of the kids participating in one of LA25 programs. They lit up from the inside out as they discovered great art and the artist within themselves. It was a moment that will continue to inspire me and touch my heart.

> How do you think this music program will affect South Bay children? How do you think it will help them in 10 years?

Music opens us up to our passions, feelings and inspirations. At a very early age it ignites our minds and has been proven to improve child brain development and bring children, young and old, great joy.

Behind the Scenes interview with Dr. Ron McCurdy

September 15, 2015

In 2015, ART310 will raise money to create a music appreciation program for the children of the Hermosa Beach School District. The program will be curated by Dr. Ron McCurdy--musician, Grammy Committee member and professor of Music/Jazz studies, Thornton School of Music at USC. Dr. McCurdy and his graduate students will perform several times throughout the year to explore different musical styles and encourage student and musician engagement. In addition, every 4th and 5th grader in Hermosa Beach will take a trip to Disney Concert Hall.

The program that is being designed by Dr. Ron McCurdy will be an introduction to music, arts, and culture, “We’re going to be exposing students to culture. And I always say, ‘You always measure the sophistication of a culture by how they value and treat the arts.’ And the fact that Hermosa Beach is in the vanguard of creating this experience for these students, this is absolutely invaluable.” Dr. McCurdy is hoping this program will help students become lifelong appreciators of music and consumers of the arts.

Dr. McCurdy enjoys giving back and he enjoys helping students to be exposed to all different kinds of music. The partnership between Dr. McCurdy and the USC graduate students and the Hermosa Beach School District is a very natural one. We have a very vibrant outreach program already at USC where we go out and we go to schools and have all kinds of programs for students of all different ages. So for us it’s just going to be a wonderful opportunity and a win-win not just the students at Hermosa Beach, but our students at USC beause they’re getting the chance to share their talents with other students.” The USC graduate students will apply, give a cameo performance, and talk about what they intend to do. They will also receive coaching. This will provide a great learning experience for the graduate students and ensure that the program is the highest quality for the elementary students.

Through these performances, the elementary students will get a true sense of what it takes to be a musician. The college students will speak to the elementary students about what it takes to be a musician, how often they practice, and the preparation that goes into becoming a musician, in addition to playing music. Hearing the music performed live will be a great experience for the students. Dr. McCurdy said, “I know as a young musician myself, I realized I wanted to play music myself when I listened to someone doing it live. I remember being in fifth grade and seeing for the first time, real-live musicians playing and there’s no substitution for that. So who knows, we may inspire the next Yo-Yo Ma, or the next Josh Groban, or the next Wynton Marsalis.”

This program will also help students in other subjects. Music is a natural partner to mathematics, can connect people with emotions, and can help students better understand history. Students will be hearing everything from classical to hip hop to jazz. The college students have been asked to tell the elementary students about the historical perspective of where the music comes from. They will share how the music evolved, where it came from, who the primary architects are of a particular genre they are demonstrating, who some of the major composers are, as well as what is happening in the world historically when the music was being created. This program will help the elementary students to have an experiential learning experience and connect cultural and historical thoughts by talking about the different genres, all in a kid-friendly vocabulary.

When asked what his favorite moment will be, Dr. McCurdy said, “My favorite moment is just visualizing what this will look like once it’s all done. So I’m envisioning us being inside the auditorium there at the school. I’m visualizing the kids walking in and seeing all these musicians on the stage and seeing the reaction they’re going to have as a result of what they’re seeing here.” This is sure to turn into an amazing program. “I’m so honored I was asked to be a part of this. We are going to do our very best to put together a program that we are proud of. That’s what I can promise you and all those who are involved in this.”

You can help this amazing program by coming to the ART310 event on September 25th. Tickets can be purchased here: Art310.org